Hearts On Fire
by BillieJeanBaby
Summary: This is my first Holes fic,and I hope you enjoy it.Shayna Talbot is a tough girl from the South.She was sent to Green Lake for numerous crimes,and she falls in love.I know it sounds cliche,but there are unusual twists,I swear!Please read.
1. Shayna Arrives

Shayna Talbot looked out the dust-caked bus window,staring out at the vast whirlwinds of nothingness.The bus had been moving swiftly down the highways and interstates for eight hours already,from 5:00 in the morning to now.She guessed it was around seven o'clock,though,judging from the way the sun painted the sky with streaks of red and orange.It was sweltering on the bus,and the guard's white-hot stare made it worse.It wasn't this bad in her hometown of Birmingham,Alabama,and it would definately take some getting used to.There were holes dotting here and there as far as her brown eyes could see.She took a deep breath,instantly remembering what she would be doing for the next 24 months.

"It's your own fault you were sent here,"she reapeated the words the surly guard two seats ahead of her had said when he first saw her.She wasn't wering any handcuffs or restraints,so she hiked up the neckline of her wifebeater,which she knew the guard was gaping at.Who could blame him?The bus slowed to a halt outside a lot of run-down looking office buildings.She walked regally down the aisle of the bus and jumped out.She followed the guard inside one of the buildings.When she walked inside,the heat seemed to slap her in the face.It was as bad-if not worse-as outside.There was a man with a heavy beer stomach behind a desk.His Elvis-like sideburns hund to his jaw,and he looked a little unhinged.

"Siddown."He motioned to the chair in front of him."So you're Shayna Talbot,huh?"

Shayna nodded.She hated the way he said her name in his drawling Texan accent.She fiddled with the duffel bag in her lap.

"You're here for two years,darlin',and you'd better get used to the way we do things here,hear?"

"Yes,Sir."

"That's _Mr. _Sir to you.Now,there's only one basic rule here for you:_no messing around_,and you know perfectly well what I mean,"he warned as she wiped the clueless expression off her face."You dig holes here to build up your character,five feet each way.That means the hole'll be five feet deep and five feet across.Follow me."

Shayna walked behind Mr. Sir to another building,noticing curious stares from the boys following her.Loud catcalls echoed in her ears.She felt safer when they got inside the building.Mr. Sir threw two orange jumpsuits at her,both of which landed on the floor.A pair of Army boots followed.

"Undress and put on one of those,"Mr. Sir ordered.Shayna begrudgingly did as she was told.She teased the boy with the greased-back hair behind a table by undressing slowly.She smiled when she saw his expression.Old habits died hard."

"You get these two sets of clothes,"Mr. Sir continued,"and put one on for work,and another for relaxation.After three days,relaxation becomes your work set,and the other'll be washed.Back to the holes;when you dig,your shovel is your measurin' stick,and only after the hole's finished can you return to camp."

A short man walked in.He had a horrible red face,and he was only and inch taller the Shayna herself,who was only about 5'5.

"Shayna?You may have done some bad things,but you are _not_ a bad person.We all respect you,and we want to ensure that you go back to respecting yourself."

Shayna almost laughed.The line seemed well-rehearsed.

"Well,if you'll follow me,we'll get you settled in,"he said brightly."My name is Dr. Pendanski,and I'm the counselor for D-Tent,where you'll be.It stands for 'diligence'."

Shayna felt more stares burning into the base of her neck.She felt like everyone knew why she was here.When she got into the tent and Pendanski had given her the rest of the 'Welcome' speech,she fell back onto her bed and pulled her stuff out of her bag and stowed them in a crate next to her cot.She turned on her smuggled-in CD player and started listening to Motley Crue.

That sux for an opening,but I hope you could a least tolerate it!_Please_ review,and I'll continue the story.It'll get better.


	2. Meet The Gang

Shayna was shaken awake by a short boy with a messy afro.He stared at her and she yanked the headphones off her head and switched the blaring rock music off.He sat on his cot and stared at her until she spoke.

"So...you're one of the people here?"she asked awkwardly.

"Yeah."His voice was soft and he was very introverted.

"I'm Shayna,by the way,"she said as she began packing her CDs away again.

"Zero."He got up and extended his hand.Shayna shook it."What were you listening to?It was loud.Sounded like Rock music."

"That's what it was.Motley Crue."

"They're okay,I guess.What were you sent here for?"

Shayna sighed.She had a feeling it would come to this.The truth would come out sooner or later.

"Underage prostitution.I'm here for 24 months."

Zero's eyes got wide.He gulped.

"That's pretty heavy,"he finally said after a few moments of loud silence.Thre other guys came through the tent flap.One was a really heavy black kid,a tanned and handsome white guy,and the other Shayna recognized immediatly.

"Jose!"

"Yo,that's _Magnet_."the black kid corrected.Magnet waved him off and hugged Shayna.

"Oh,I haven't seen you in a _long_ time,girl!How'd you end up here?Are you still,uh...heavy in the game?"Magnet uneasily approached the subject.

"What game?"the white boy with brown hair asked.He had a heavy Southern accent.

"Not anymore,"Shayna answered.Magnet sighed.He looked relieved."So,who are you guys?"

"That's Squid,"Magnet pointed to the white kid with the brown hair.He nodded as he pulled a cap off his head.

"I'm Armpit,"the black kid introduced himself.

"That's Barfbag,"Zero pointed to the deep tan guy.He smiled.

"Hey,"he said.Shayna bit her lip.Two other guys walked in.One was a black kid with huge,dusty glasses.Shayna wondered if he could even see.

"Who's this?"he asked."Don't think we've seen you here before,girl."

"Shayna.Nice to meet you too,"she said sarcastically.She wasn't afraid of him.

"Yeah.It is nice to meet me.So you're Shayna?Nice,"he remarked as he threw a wet towel down on his cot.Shayna rolled her eyes and looked at the other one.He was _extremely_ tall,with scraggly blonde hair that went flying off in every direction.He was sun-touched,with a light tan.

"Who're you?"he asked.

"Didn't you just hear us,man?"Magnet laughed incredulously.

"I wasn't paying attention."He left the tent,but not before taking one last look at Shayna.

"That's ZigZag,"Squid said."He's crazy and he's paranoid.I read his file.He has Acute Paranoinia."

Shayna asked what he meant.

"He sees things and imagines people are alawys watching him,"X-Ray explained."When he got here,they took him off his medication.He's getting worse."

"It's too bad.He's losing it,"Barfbag muttered.He laid down on his cot and rolled over.

"Yeah.It is."Shayna stared out the tent entrance.


	3. Back To The Old Ways

Later that night,after Magnet had explained the rules and procedures of the camp,Shayna and he were the only ones awake.Magnet was deeply immersed in Shayna's CDs.

"I haven't heard music in a long time,"he'd been telling her.After a few songs,he pulled the headphones off his head and tucked them safely into Shayna's crate.

"Shay,why?"

"Why what?"she wasn't sure what Magnet meant.

"I mean...why were you prostituting?I thought you gave that up."

"I needed money.My family needed money."

"Well,you haven't forgot your first customer,have ya?"Magnet asked.Shayna smiled.

"Of course not."She laid her head on Magnet's lap."Barrio boy from Corpus Christi,Texas.Moved to Alabama.I remember.You tried to pay me with a puppy."She laughed at the memory.

"You still have it,too.You loved that little Yorkie,"Magnet smiled.He ran his hands through her brown hair.Shayna moaned sensually.

"Chica,no,"Magnet pleaded as she lay soft kisses on his bare shoulders and chest.He relaxed after her lips met his skin a few more times.

"What's your price?"he asked finally.Shayna thought.

"Help me dig tomorrow."She pulled off her shirt.

They didn't know Zigzag was still awake.

"Good God,it is hot out here!"Shayna declared.The sun wasn't directly above them,but it was still boiling outside.Magnet grinned as he shoveled out another pile of dirt from Shayna's nearly finished hole.

"You'll get used to it,I swear."

"You look tired,Mag.Did I wear you out last night?"

"Eh,not too much.I just forgot how it was."

"Well,anytime you feel like it,let me know.Same form of payment:dig half my hole."

They climbed out,and X-Ray watched them leave.He had been listening.

"Hey,Shayna!Shayna!"he called.Shayna ran back to Zigzag and kneeled beside him.

"I got a proposition for you...get with me,and I'll dig all of it.Just one night,"he said.Shayna was a little shocked.

"Um...sure.Tonight.Wait 'til everyone falls asleep,"Shayna instructed.X-Ray nodded eagerly.

"OK.Deal."


	4. Hot In Here

After a day of digging,a shower,and some disgusting food,Shayna was laying on her cot,waiting for X-Ray.She picked at her nails,praying everyone was asleep.She heard someone's bed creak.

"Hey."She looked through the darkness and saw X-Ray standing beside her.His glasses weren't on.

"C'mon,"Shayna purred as she moved over.X-Ray laid down beside her and pulled off his clothes.Shayna did the same and got on top of X-Ray.

Again,ZigZag was awake.For at least an hour he heard "Oh,God,X-Ray" and "Don't stop,girl".He was getting sick of it,and his imagination ran wild.

----

"I can't stand it out here,"X-Ray whispered as he watched Shayna take a sip of her water.She nodded.

"I understand,"she sympathized.

"No,you _don't_.You haven't even really dug a hole yet.We've been helping you along,and it was just for two days.You haven't been tired yet.You haven't been close to the point of dehydration.You haven't been alone out here.Nobody's given you a hard time."

"Nobody gives _you_ a hard time,"Shayna pointed out.X-Ray held up his hand.

"I was new here once.Five months ago.You wouldn't _believe_ the stuff they did to me,"X-Ray argued.Shayna wanted desperately to ask what happened.

At the same time,she didn't want to mess with their leader.They made it to the Wreck Room,and she immediatly noticed the discarded boombox in the corner.She left X-Ray and went to their tent.She rummaged through her crate and grabbed her case of CDs.When she returned to the Wreck Room,the entire D-Tent was waiting by the radio.

"What're you gonna play?"ZigZag drawled.Shayna dug out her Pitbull CD and soon _Toma_ was blaring.It seemed like Magnet and herself were the only ones who understood the Spanish rap.She made fun of herself by dancing.Magnet came up behind her and she grinded her hips into his.She made really freaky expressions on her face as Magnet kept with her.It called most of the other boys over there to watch.ZigZag walked up to them.

"Can I cut in?"he laughed.Shayna looked him up and down.

"Sure."She grabbed his shoulders and danced the same way she had with Magnet.ZigZag was thoroughly enjoying it.

"I'm the chico that'll take you to ecstacy/What you waiting for/Let's go,Let's go/Let's go/When we finish tonight/I guarantee you'll be calling me back for some more,more,more/nd at the same time/I want you to teach me a litttle something/Baby just blow my mind/You know what I mean/The one below the waistline/You know me/Baby,I'm freaky,"ZigZag rapped along with the music.Shayna was impressed.ZigZag put his hand on the top of her head and pushed her down on her knees.Her face was in front of his pelvis.All the guys whopped and hooted out suggestive phrases.

"Yo,Zig's next!"Magnet yelled.ZigZag looked around and stormed out of the room.Shayna stopped the music.


	5. You Just Saved My Life

"Ziggy!ZigZag!"Shayna called as she ran outside.She got tackled and carried away before she could realize what happened.She got pushed up against a wall and the front of her jumpsuit was ripped open.

"Some one told me there was a ho in D-Tent."The guy had greasy blonde hair.Shayna recognized him as one of the perverts she saw whne she first stepped off the bus.Just as he was about to pull off her suit,ZigZag came running at them.He threw the other boy on the ground and punched him several times in the stomach.Shayna watched in horror.ZigZag stood and watched the by run away.Shayna held ontoZigZag,a little shaken from the event.Her tears stained the front of his dust-covered tee shirt.

"I'm here.Chill out,Twister."

"Twister?"

"Well,that's what you doing when you were dancing,wasn't it?Grinding and twsting your hips?Everyone loved it,I'll tell you that,"ZigZag's face turned scarlet when he thought about their 'encounter'.

"Well,what about you?"Shayna asked.She looked up at ZigZag as she moved back a couple of inches.He walked up to her,still blushing.

"I've um...never had anyhting like that happen to me before.No girl liked me when I was in school.Everyone thought I was weird because I looked different and I'm diseased,"he sighed."Mentally,I'm not well.My paranoia...it has the potential to destroy me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."ZigZag's light blue eyes looked sleepy.Shayna couldn't resist him-she stood onher toes and kissed the side of his neck.

"Sh...Shay-na,don't,"ZigZag begged."No."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to dig a hole and a half tomorrow."


End file.
